Lend a Hand

If I learned one thing from a certain professor at Marquette it was that the journalism field is VERY small. Everyone knows everyone else. One mess up and you could ensure your jobless state for years to come. And when you work in a certain niche that field becomes even smaller. (For instance one of my last freelancing gigs came from a former co-worker and required speaking with a former boss - SMALL World!)

But this isn't a post about burning bridges... I've written that one before.

Instead this is about lending a hand to a fellow writer. I've found that in this field people are often unwilling to go out of their way to help a fellow professional. I don't know if it is the competitive nature of the field, or the often insane schedules we keep. But whatever it is I've run up against my fair share of brick walls.

When I was a recent graduate I moved to New York in the hopes of landing the job of a lifetime. No one tells you the job of a lifetime is NEVER going to be your first job. Anyway, I went with a list of former Marquette students who now worked in the journalism or PR fields. One by one I contacted these alumni and asked for a 10 minute informational interview. I assured them all I really wanted to do was pick their brains about the field and the NYC market. Of all the people I contacted only two responded and agreed to offer me a meeting. A couple told me they were much too busy to see me but wished me luck. Others outright ignored my request.

As I've moved on in my career, (Sidenote: I can't complain too much since one of these contacts turned into my first job) I began to realize this is not just something a new professional runs up against. Many fellow journalists are unwilling to offer advice or support to those trying to make it.

When I moved to St. Louis, with a number of reputable jobs under my belt and a fairly good looking portfolio, I reached out to a fellow alum who also happened to have a mutual friend of mine. Two emails and one un-returned phone call I realized this local writer wasn't going to offer any support or thoughts on landing a job here. I let it go and moved on to other resources.

I've been contacted by a number of journalism majors asking my thoughts on a specific matter or internship. When I respond, at least half the people thank me and admit I am the only one who offered support and encouragement. No, I didn't get them a job, but at least I helped direct the search or their craft.

Why is it so impossible for journalists to remember the people who helped them get to where they are today and offer that same support to another?

Is this something that is unique to journalism or is this a global phenomenon?

PS The idea for this post came after a fellow alum helped me land a new freelancing gig today. I've ever so grateful to him, especially since he breaks the mold and is willing to lend a hand.

Constructing the Cover Letter

I’ve been getting a number of resumes lately for a couple freelance positions I’m trying to fill and as I read through them this week it got me thinking that most people FAIL in the cover letter. Some people don’t even bother to send a cover letter. I got an e-mail today with two attachments - a resume and a clip. Um... delete.

Maybe I’m too demanding, but after spending a summer working in a human resources department in which I was in charge of sorting through the hundreds of resumes that cam in daily I know what I want to see and what I don’t.

Tips to constructing the nearly perfect cover letter:

Address the person by name. (If that is not immediately apparent do the research. I notice the extra effort someone put in to find my full name.)

Do not put To Whom It May Concern: (If you can’t find a name at least put Dear Editor or Dear Hiring Manager.)

Spell Check! (If you are applying for a writing or editing job and can’t get a couple paragraphs right - there’s a problem.)

Do not send a form letter. (You might think it’s not that obvious but it is. The typical: ‘I would be great for this position because I have a diverse background that would fit in well with your publication,’ is blah, unoriginal and thoughtless. Include the publication name, name of the position you are applying for an some relevant info about the pub that says you’ve seen it.)

Tailor the letter to the publication you are applying to. (If it is a gardening magazine, tell the editor why you are the gardening ‘guru,’ why no one else is as suited for the job.)

Don’t be cocky. (Yes, toot your horn! But don’t laud your praises in such an obtrusive blatant manner. Subtly will serve you best in this area. Instead of: “My writing is so outstanding, I’ve landed the lead story several times at XYZ publication.” Try this: “My writing has been featured in XYZ publication, where I was able to pen the lead story on TKTK.”)

Follow directions. (If an employment ad asks for a resume and clips, don’t neglect to send those along and mention them in your letter. “Attached you will find my resume and several sample clips...”)

Talk about you past experience. (Seems obvious, right? Well, a number of people miss this step. They say what they are applying for, how to reach them, how excited they are for the opportunity, and they never say why their past is going to better the pubs future.)
Keep it short. (A cover letter that is more than a few paragraphs is way too long. I don’t have the time or energy to read through all the reasons you’re great. Show your journalism prowess and get to the point.)

Include your name and contact info. (Duh. Yeah, but people leave it out. Send your e-mail, cell phone, home phone, website, blog address, twitter account, etc..)

Name drop publications. (Instead of telling me: 'I've worked for a variety of publications in recent years.' Tell me: Most recently I worked as a staff writer at Garden's Delight. For this southern-garden focus publication I handled the DIY column as well as the 'Profile a Gardener' piece.)

Be original. (You only get one chance at a first impression. Make the editor remember your cover letter, make it sound like you, make it stand out, make it unique.)